Thomas Waterman Wood (1823-1903) - 19th Century Oil Portrait of Mildred Wallace

Description

Thomas Waterman Wood (1823-1903) - Original 19th Century Oil. An exquisite unsigned portrait of Mildred Wallace as a young girl. Unsigned. On canvas on stretchers. There is some brittle varnish at the right edge of the canvas, otherwise in fine condition.

Size

68 x 55.5cm (26.8" x 21.9")

Artist Biography

Thomas Waterman Wood was an American painted, born in 1823 in Montpelier, Vermont. Thomas did not have much of an artistic influence in his early career - he actually worked as a cabinet maker with his brother, Cyrus. Thomas' first introduction to painting (more specifically the art of portrait painting), came through the occasional visits to Montepellier of a portrait painter, as these were the days when public photography was not available. Seeing this painter enthused Thomas and one of his friends from Boston, who would buy them paint to experiment with. Thomas later moved to Boston and studied under Chester Harding (a prominent American portrait painter), who furthered his talents. It was in Boston that Thomas married his wife, Minerva Washington, and then began travelling around the country to paint commissioned portraits. After visiting galleries in Europe for the first time int he late 1850s, he painted portraits in Nashville and Louisville which are now held in the Thomas W Wood collection at the Montpelier Gallery. He first exhibited at the National Academy of Design in 1860, a portrait titled 'The Baltimore Newsvendor' and by 1866 he was living and painting in New York. In 1869, Thomas was elected an Associate of the National Academy of Design and, in 1871, an Academician. He became President of the American Water Color Society in 1878 and served in that office until 1887. He acted as Vice-President of the National Academy of Design for a period of twelve years beginning in 1879. In 1891 he became the President of the Academy.